U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide To Reducing Crime And Disorder Through Problem-Solving Partnerships

NCJ Number
196527
Date Published
June 2002
Length
50 pages
Annotation
This document discusses reducing crime and disorder through problem-solving partnerships.
Abstract
The community policing model gives law enforcement officials a chance to earn the confidence of the community, bringing to light specific problems, and giving law enforcement officials the opportunity to prevent crime before it happens. Rather than reacting to problems after they become crimes, community policing allows the officers’ relationships with members of the community to determine the root causes of a problem and prevent crimes from happening again. This is called the problem-solving approach and it has proved effective not only in analyzing and solving crimes, but in reducing crime overall. Some ways of identifying community problems are routinely analyzing calls for service; mapping specific crimes; consulting officers and command staff; reviewing police reports; and surveying community residents. In selecting a problem on which to focus from among the many problems the community faces, the following factors can be considered: the impact of the problem on the community, the presence of life-threatening conditions, community interest and degree of support, and the potential threat to constitutional rights. Stakeholders in the community, such as homeowners and merchants should be identified to help address the problem. Comprehensively analyzing a problem is critical to the success of a problem-solving effort. Effective interventions targeted at repeat victims can significantly reduce crime. To develop tailored responses to crime problems, problem-solvers should review their findings about the three sides of the crime triangle--victims, offenders, and the crime location--and develop creative solutions that will address at least two sides of the triangle. Assessing effectiveness includes looking at the number of arrests, levels of reported crime, response times, clearance rates, citizen complaints, and various workload indicators. 13 references, 28 endnotes